Bibinagar Nims back on track

HYDERABAD: The Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims) branch of Bibinagar is set to become operational in a couple of months. Construction that was stalled midway has commenced again at the facility after the new Telangana state government and local public representatives put pressure on the Nims administration to complete the work on the much-awaited 1,000-bed healthcare facility and at least start the out-patient services at the earliest.
Hospital sources said that it would take some time to wrap up the project complete the 1000-bed hospital but the efforts to start the outpatient departments have been initiated at the 155-acre premises. "Work has commenced to make outpatient services operational in a month or two. The hospital also wants to establish a small lab to conduct basic investigations," said a senior official. "For other advanced investigations, samples will be brought to Nims, Punjagutta," he added. Sources said that transportation including ambulances will have to be arranged to shuttle between Bibinagar and Punjagutta located 45 kilometers apart. The hospital has recently asked the new state government to release Rs 10 crore to complete the works.
It was late chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who had inaugurated this facility a few months before the 2009 elections and promised that the out-patient services would take off immediately followed by in-patient services two months later. Though the building was ready then, the electrical and civil works were still pending and it lacked medical equipment. At least Rs 75 crore has been pumped already into the upcoming hospital.
While several announcements were made by subsequent chief ministers about early operationalization of the hospital, the uncertainty continued. The hospital is supposed to cater to the healthcare needs of people from Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Medak and Warangal districts that lack tertiary care medical facilities.